


Help Me to Face What Lies Ahead

by icandrawamoth



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Comment Fic, Community: comment_fic, F/M, Future Fic, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Insecure Ben, Loss of Parent(s), Married Couple, Mild Hurt/Comfort, POV Ben, Parent-Child Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-17
Updated: 2017-09-17
Packaged: 2018-12-31 01:04:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12121179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icandrawamoth/pseuds/icandrawamoth
Summary: After losing both of his parents, Ben doesn't know how to go on ruling Auradon alone.





	Help Me to Face What Lies Ahead

**Author's Note:**

> For an old comment_fic prompt of my own: Any, any,  
>  _I remember everything you taught me, every book I ever read_  
>  _Can all the words in all the books help me to face what lies ahead_

Though he's had some better times than others, Ben has never felt one hundred percent confident in his ability to rule Auradon. The thing is, he's always had his parents to advise him, to back him up when he did something wrong or just give advice when he asked for it. (Or, often enough, when he didn't.)

But now that's done. Like everyone else, King Beast and Queen Belle grew old. Ben's father went first, warm in his bed surrounded by loved ones, citizens across the country mourning as the castle bells rang to announce his passing.

Belle and Ben had each other, then, even if Ben spent a lot of time being brave for her sake and doing his best to take care of her responsibilities as well as his own while she grieved. But now Belle is gone, too, and he feels so alone. He'd always been close to her, hiding away in her wonderful library with her from the time he was a small child, running to her whenever he needed comfort of any kind, even long after reaching adulthood himself.

And now she's gone. His hands shake as he sits at his desk trying to write a funeral proclamation. What are the right words to use? The entire kingdom was in love with Queen Belle, her kindness and cleverness and gentle ways. Even all the words in all the books they ever read together couldn't encapsulate her life.

“Ben?” He looks up to see Mal stepping into the room, a look of concern on her face. She blanches when she sees his expression. “You've been crying again,” she says softly, moving to his side.

Ben raises a hand to his cheek and wipes away tears he hadn't even noticed shedding. He must be so used to them.

Mal runs her fingers through his hair. “That's the announcement?”

“I wish I could put it off,” he admits. He rubs his hands over his face, doing his best to prevent any more tears from falling.

“I know. But, Ben, you know she'd be proud of you no matter what happens, right? Regardless of what you say now, or what you do in the future. She and Beast taught you everything they knew, and they had faith in you. You've always been a great king.”

Ben manages a small smile through misty eyes. His wife understands him so well. “Thank you, love,” he says, taking her hand and pulling it to his lips in a soft kiss. “I really needed to hear that.”


End file.
